1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel derivative of laidlomycin which is useful for increasing the feed efficiency in ruminants and treating coccidiosis in domestic animals, especially in chickens.
The antibiotic laidlomycin is a known compound which inhibits the growth of Gram positive bacteria. See the Journal of Antibiotics, Vol. XXIX, No. 7, pp. 759-761, July, (1976) and Vol. XXVII, No. 11, pp. 884-888, Nov., 1974. The aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon acyl esters of the alcohol at carbon 26 are set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,663. Monensin is also a known antibiotic and has been shown to be useful in increasing feed utilization in ruminants. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,732. Carbamate derivatives of monensin are set out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,925.
As discussed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,732, it is important to increase the efficiency of feed utilization in domestic animals, especially meat-producing and milk-producing animals such as cattle. Carbohydrates form a large part of these animals' diets, and the efficiency of carbohydrate utilization is desirably increased by treatment which encourages intra-ruminal production of propionate rather than acetate from carbohydrates. The theory behind this phenomena is discussed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,732 patent.
The improved efficiency of feed utilization resulting from the use of laidlomycin phenylcarbamate can be determined by observing an increased concentration or molar percentage of propionate in the rumen. In addition, laidlomycin phenylcarbamate suppresses rumen lactic acid production, thereby assisting in the prevention or treatment of bloat in ruminant animals.
Propionate production enhancement and lactic acid suppression is surprisingly and unexpectedly high for laidlomycin phenylcarbamate. Laidlomycin phenylcarbamate has been found to be a highly stable laidlomycin derivative in solution and feed premixes, particularly in comparison with laidlomycin acylates. A third salutory characteristic is that the presence of the phenylcarbamate group renders the laidlomycin moiety subject to assay by conventional analytical means such as UV spectral analysis.